The Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF) announced today, on the sidelines of the World Bank Group-IMF Spring
Meetings – new funding commitments from governments and philanthropic partners totaling USD 806 million in support of its TRANSFORM 2030 strategy, a five-year plan to accelerate progress towards ending preventable maternal and child deaths in countries with the highest burden.
“The GFF has shown that its approach delivers results – bringing together governments, global partners, civil society, youth, philanthropies, and the private sector to align around one country-led health plan to strengthen primary health care, reduce health sector fragmentation, and focus resources where they will have the greatest impact on saving lives,” said Rosemary Mburu, Executive Director, WACI Health.
These pledges mark the beginning of the GFF’s new investment round, and come at a decisive moment with the tools, evidence and partnerships in place to accelerate progress, even as hard-won gains face increasing risks from multiple shocks.
Hosted by the World Bank Group (WBG), the GFF is a country-led partnership that helps scale proven health and nutrition solutions through national health systems to reach hundreds of millions of women, children, and adolescents with lifesaving care.
“All women and girls everywhere must be able to make their own decisions about their bodies and futures. Investing in health and gender equality is key to realising this fundamental human right. Our renewed commitment to the GFF is a particularly powerful investment in the wellbeing and futures of women, children and adolescents everywhere, because the GFF works through country systems, on budget and incentivises governments to take action,” said Hon. Reem Alabali Radovan, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany.
Through 2026-30, the GFF intends to expand its operations from 36 to 50 countries with the highest maternal and child mortality, and is projected to leverage USD 12.5 billion in WBG financing, USD 17.8 billion in partner resources, and USD 21.4 billion in domestic resources to scale high-impact health interventionsi. These efforts will contribute to the WBG’s goal of reaching 1.5 billion people with quality, affordable health services by 2030.
Mamta Murthi, Vice President, People, World Bank Group, and Chair, GFF Trust Fund Committee: “The case is clear: investing in women, children and adolescents builds human capital, reduces poverty, and creates jobs and lasting prosperity. With its new strategy, a fully funded GFF will help partner countries to deliver lifesaving care to hundreds of millions of people twice as fast. We are grateful to our partners who have already committed over USD 800 million to kickstart this investment round, and we look forward to more partners joining us.”
Today’s announcements represent over 80 per cent of the GFF’s fundraising goal of USD 1 billion by the end of 2026 – with additional pledges expected in the coming months. As part of these commitments, philanthropies and the private sector have committed funding to scale up access to innovations and key commodities. These include USD 250 million for the Sustainable Commodities Access Program – launching today – which will incentivise countries to invest more to expand access to high-quality commodities and fix supply chain system bottlenecks; and a first investment of USD 15 million for an innovations challenge program, which will catalyse further funding for the scale-up of the Safer Births Bundle of Care in 10 countries. Commitments announced today include:
- Government of Canada: CAD 190 million
- Government of Germany: EUR 45 million
- Government of the Netherlands: USD 186 million
- Government of Norway: NOK 600 million
- Children’s Investment Fund Foundation: USD 150 million
- Gates Foundation: USD 200 million
- Laerdal Scale Up Fund: USD 15 million
Launched in 2015, the GFF has demonstrated the power of its country-led, catalytic model. Since joining the GFF, partner countries have become global leaders in reducing maternal and child deaths, and three-quarters have reduced their rates of childhood stunting.
Hon. Mariama Ciré Sylla, Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget, Guinea, said that during the Ebola and COVID crises, a weak primary health care system costs lives and poses a systemic risk to the economy. “In line with the Simandou 2040 development program, whose fifth pillar is Health and Well-being, Guinea is partnering with the GFF and IDA to scale up access to quality primary health care and essential health services for women and children, as an investment in our future health and growth. Guinea’s partnership with the GFF is delivering significant returns, helping us reduce health care costs, unlock more domestic resources, and strengthen the resilience of both our health system and our economy against future shocks,” said Sylla.